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It’s been a Lucky Peach week for me! I finally got to delve into the cookbook that Paul got me for Christmas and the wonderful thing about it is that the recipes are really easy and don’t require a lot of ingredients. I wanted to write about them as I cooked throughout the week, however, my life was put on hold by a certain show that had me hooked called, “Making A Murderer.” If you haven’t seen it, watch it. But know that you must be prepared to do a marathon of all 10 episodes because it’s that riveting. Until you get to the end, everything in your life will be put on hold except for the necessities. Warning, sleep, though a necessity, may be compromised. But food? Oh no no no, I never let anything come between me and my food. For food, I will hit the pause button any day.

I tried the following recipes:

Oyakodon – I order this all the time at Japanese restaurants and have never thought to make it myself at home. It’s actually incredibly easy! I’ll be making this all the time for sure.

Black Pepper Beef – The sauce is great. Feel free to cook your beef any way you want, cubed and sauteed in garlic, grilled without oil, sliced thinly and pan fried, etc. using any cut you prefer.

Soy-Braised Short Ribs – I swapped out the potatoes for radish. This tastes even better the next day. I also suggest taking the lid off the pot after 45 minutes so that the sauce reduces down to a thicker more syrupy consistency.

As with all the Asian recipes my Mom taught me, measurements for seasonings are all mere suggestions. You just learn how to eyeball splashes of this and that over time, and taste and adjust things to your liking.

What to do:
1. Combine the water, hondashi, sugar, mirin, sake, soy sauce, and chicken in an 8-inch nonstick skillet. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

2. Pour the eggs over the bubbling mixture and sprinkle the scallion on top. Cover and cook the eggs gently until the mixture is set but still custardy. Remove from heat and let it sit for a minute. Slide on top of a big bowl of rice.

What to do:1. Make the black pepper sauce. heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the pepper and toast in the oil, swirling constantly until the white insides of the peppercorn pieces are golden brown.

2. Stir in the water, soy sauce, and sugar. Bring to a boil and taste it. Add a pinch of salt if needed, or dilute the sauce with a splash of water if it strikes you as salty. Maybe it needs another pinch of sugar? The sauce should be spicy and touch sweet. Once the seasoning is correct, whisk in the cornstarch mixture and return it to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. The sauce will keep for 1 week in the fridge, rewarm before serving.

3. Cook the rib eye. Heat the oven to 400°F.

4. Season the steak with the salt. heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet over high heat. When a wisp of smoke rises from the pan, lay the steak in, and sear until a brown crust forms, about 2 minutes. Flip and sear 2 minutes longer. Pick up the steak with your tongs and carefully roll the edge of the steak in the pan, rendering the fat cap. Your steak should be browned and crusty all over. Lay the steak back down on a broad side and carefully transfer the pan to the oven.

What to do:1. Combine the pear, mirin, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and scallions in a large Dutch oven. Arrange the short ribs meat side down in the liquid and add water to cover. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat as needed to maintain a very gentle simmer and cook, partially covered, flipping and rotating the ribs occasionally, until bouncy-tender, about 2 hours. Remove lid about 45 minutes in.

2. Remove the ribs from their braising liquid and skim any fat from the surface. If the liquid has gelled, you’ll need to warm it briefly, so that you can strain out the now-spent aromatics (I didn’t bother straining). Return the ribs and liquid to the pot, add the carrots and potatoes, and cook uncovered until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil and season with pepper.